Amalgamation



April 3, 1934- J. c. RAMsEY Er Al. 1,953,364

AMA LGAMAT I O N Filed Sept. 24, 1929 jffmg, '3Q/@MMM *mf/ A TTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 3, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT @ENCE AMALGAMATION Jesse C. Ramsey and Colin Camblin, Denver,

Application September 24, 1929, Serial No. 394,827

16 Claims.

gamation in which the material is fed to the mercury under a head that causes a constant movement of the material through the mercury or along the surface of the same, according to the nature of the material under treatment.

A further object is to provide in a method of the above described character, a retardant inuence that promotes the intimate contact of the material with the amalgamating body.

Another object is to stimulate the amalgamating power of the mercury and to maintain it constantly at its maximum eiliciency by a cleansing action caused partially by the above stated retardant influence and partially by the formation or" gases and other chemical actions due to the use of a chemical electrolyte which produces a flow of chemicals through the mercury and to the material, that has a cleansing efect both upon the mercury and upon the metal particles, metalloids-and colloids in the material.

Still further objects of the invention reside in the provision of a simple, practical and elcient apparatus for carrying the process'into practice, and in novel constructions, arrangements and combinations or parts as fully set forth in the following description.

In the accompanying drawing an apparatus has been shown, that is well adapted to carry the process into effect, but it is to be understood that variations in the form and arrangement of the parts of the apparatus may be reso-rted to without departing from the scope of the invention.

v Figure 1 of the drawing represents the apparatus in vertical section,

Figure 2, a section taken on the line 2-2, Figure 1, and

Figure 3, a fragmentary sectional view showing a modiiiedarrangement of the porous pad of the apparatus, with theamalgamating body of the same.

'A vessel 5 of suitable size and proportions is divided by a vertical partition 6 into two communicating compartments 7 and 8.

The partition is spaced from the bottom of the vessel to provide for the constant communication of the compartments by a narrowpassage 9 and a body of mercury l0 placed in the vessel extends above the passage to find its level at opposite sides of the partition.

The compartment 7 functions in the process as an electrolytic cell and the other compartment is the working chamber in which the amalgamation is effected.

The material under treatment is fed into the last mentioned compartment through an upright hollow shaft l2 which extends to within a short distance from or to the surface of the mercury or into the body of the same.

The lower portion of the shaft is spread in one direction and contracted to provide a restricted outlet 13 which spreads the material through the mercury or over the surface of the same.

The shaft is at its lower end embedded in. a

pad 14 of soit porous material, the under surface The pad is preferably composed of sponge rub- Yber which has been found to be well adapted'for the purpose.

The amalgamation compartment has in its upper portion an outlet 16 for the overflow of gangue in water or other liquid.

The electrolytic compartment contains an electrolyte 17 composed of a chemical solution, preferably sodium chloride or its chemical equivalent, and into this electrolyte extend two electrodes that may be connected with any source of direct current electricity. The anode has been shown at 18 and the cathode at 19.

The material fed into the amalgamation compartment through the shaft, is in the form of pulp, the ore having been ground to a neness which in order to obtain the best results should not be coarser than twenty mesh.

The mercury forming a seal between the two compartments prevents the electrolyte from corning in contact with the material.

A part of the electric current flowing from the anode 18 to the cathode 19 in the electrolytic cell, however, passes into the mercury, which being highly conductive, causes it to pass to the liquid material under treatment in the amalgamation compartment to which it is grounded.

The current flow thus produced, effects a flow of sodium through the mercury and to the plane of contact between the mercury and the material in the compartment 8, which flow stimulates amalgamation and has a cleansing effect upon the mercury and the metals in the material.

When using a sodium electrolyte composed of 2NaCl-1-2H2O, the following electrolytic action takes place.

The hydrogen (I-I) is liberated at the cathode by bubbling olf, while the chlorine (Cl) escapes in the form of a gas at the anode. The Na-l-ions are immediately repelled by the anode and attracted to the cathode, (like charges repel, unlike charges attract).

The sodium (Na) ions lose their charge at the cathode becoming sodium atoms, which do not react with the electrolyte, but follow the grounded electrical current through the mercury body, producing in their passage sodium amalgam and liberate themselves in the amalgamation compartment when brought in contact with the fed pulp and form sodium peroxide, this, in sequence, forms sodium hydroxide and gases with feed material, and has the distinct effect of cleaning the mercury and the metals, metalloids and colloids in the material under treatment.

The shaft through which the material is fed below or to the surface of the mercury in the amalgamation compartment produces a pressure head which causes the material to pass constantly over or through the mercury body to the outside of the retardant pad whence it moves upwardly, the water or other liquid and the gangue being constantly discharged through the overflow 16.

Owing to the presence of the porous pad, the movement of the ore particles and the sodium hydroxide and gases along the surface of the mercury is retarded thereby promoting the cleansingV action of the sodium hydroxide and gases upon the mercury and the particles and stimulating amalgamation by a prolonged and more intimate contact of the metals with the mercury.

During this action the material is compelled to bounce into the cells of the porous pad and to rebound into the mercury, all of which aids in the production of the cleansing and amalgamating effects.

It will be apparent that subject to a constant feed, and the addition of fresh electrolyte whenever necessary, the process of amalgamation is continuous since owing to the pressure head, there is a constant movement of material along or through the mercury and upwardly around the porous pad to the overflow.

The formation in the mercury, of sodium amalgam, charged with electricity, stimulates the amalgamating power as to gold and other precious metals.

The electric current grounded in the material, induces a constant flow of sodium ions through the mercury and into the amalgamation compartmentwhere they combine with the hydrogen of the feed to formsodium hydroxide and gases.

The sodium hydroxide and gases continuously produced have a cleansing effect upon the metallic particles and the mercury and keep the latter constantly at maximum efficiency. The amalgamation is thus stimulated and a substantially clean separation Yof the values from the material under treatment is effected.

These-results are promoted and expedited by retarding the contact of the material with the mercury and the flow of sodium hydroxide and gases along or through the same, which as hereinbefore described, may be effected by the use of a pad preferably of porous material, either spaced from the surface of the mercury in close prox- Losses/ irnity thereto, contacting at the surface of the mercury, or extending into the body of the same.

The gases and chemicals brought forward to the working chamber from the electrolytic cell, clean and purge the mercury of any fouling elements delivered to it by their contact with the pulp, at the saine time imparting to the amalgamating body greater efliciency to amalgamate the metals, metalloids and colloids in the pulp.

While the process is adapted for the treatment of all value-carrying pulps, slimes and other liquid matter, it is particularly adapted for the extraction of metals from sulphides and free milling ores.

The formation of a closed circuit inclusive of the body of mercury and grounded in the material, is an important feature of the invention, and

the provision of a flow-retarding element is also of great value.

in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing the porous pad has been shown as spaced from the surface of the mercury in close proximity thereto. This produces a narrow passage through which the material may flow.r

The material may, however, also be caused to pass through the body of mercury in which case the pad is lowered to either contact with the surface of the mercury or extend into the body of the same, as has been shown in Figure 3.

AWhat we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. amalgamation apparatus comprising an electrolytic cell provided with an electrolyte having an element adapted to form an amalgam with mercury, and a working chamber in communication with said cell, a substantially stationary body of mercury partially in the cell and partially in the working chamber anode and cathode electrodes immersed in said electrolyte and spaced from said mercury, means for effecting a flow of material being treated in contact with the mercury in said chamber, and means for retarding the flow of the material along the surface of the mercury.

2. Amalgamation apparatus comprising an electrolytic cell provided with an electrolyte having an element adapted to form an amalgam with mercury and a working chamber in communication with said cell, a body of mercury partially in the cell. and partially in the working chamber anode and cathode electrodes immersed in said electrolyte and spaced from said mercury, a porous pad prolonging Contact of material being treated with the mercury, and means for feeding material to the upper surface of the mercury in said chamber.

3. In amalgamating apparatus, a working chamber containing a body of mercury, a feed having a discharge opening adjacent and in close proximity to the surface of the mercury body, and a pad of sponge-rubber in a plane with said discharge opening, providing a restricted space for the passage of material over said surface, and adapted to retard the movement of material away from the mercury body.

4. In an amalgamating apparatus, a vessel containing a body of mercury, a partition member extending into said mercury and dividing said ves, sel into an electrolytic compartment containing an electrolyte superimposed upon said mercury, and an amalgamating compartment containing mercury, anode and cathode electrodes immersed in said electrolyte and spaced from said mercury, means in the amalgamating compartment for feeding to the mercury therein, a'material containing a constituent recoverableby amalgamation and gangue, and means for removing the gangue.

5. In an amalgamating apparatus, a vessel containing a substantially stationary body of mercury, a partition member extending into said mercury and dividing said vessel into an electrolyticcompartment lcontaining an electrolyte superimposed `upon said mercury, and an amalgamating compartment containing mercury, anode and cathode electrodes immersed in said electrolyte and spaced from said mercury, means in the amalgamating compartment for feeding to the mercury therein'a material containing a constituent recoverable by amalgamation and gangue, and means for removing the gangue.

6. In an amalgamating apparatus, a vessel containing a body of mercury, a partition member extending into said mercury and dividing said vessel into an electrolytic compartment containing an electrolyte superimposed on the mercury, and an amalgamating compartment containing mercury, anode and cathode electrodes immersed in said electrolyte and spaced from said mercury, a conduit in the amalgamating compartment for feeding to the mercury material containing a constituent recoverable by amalgamation and gangue, the discharge end of the conduit projecting below the surface of the mercury, means on the discharge end of the feed conduit for prolonging contact of the material undergoing treatment With the mercury, and means for recovering the gangue.

'7. In an amalgamating apparatus, a vessel containing a body of mercury, a partition member extending into said mercury and dividing saidvessel into an electrolytic compartment containing an electrolyte superimposed on the mercury, and an amalgamating compartment containing mercury, anode and cathode electrodes immersed in said electrolyte and spaced from said mercury, a conduit in the amalgamating compartment for feeding to the mercury material containing a constituent recoverable by amalgamation and gangue, the discharge end of the conduit being positioned adjacent and in close proximity to the surface of the mercury, a porous pad on the discharge end of the feed conduit for providing a restricted space for the passage of the material over the mercury surface to thereby prolong Contact of the material with the mercury, and means for removing the gangue.

8. In an amalgamating apparatus, a vessel containing a body of mercury, a partition member extending into said mercury and dividing said vessel into an electrolytic compartment containing an electrolyte superimposed on the mercury, and an amalgamating compartment containing mercury, anode and cathode electrodes immersed in said electrolyte and spaced from said mercury, a conduit in the amalgamating compartment for feeding to the mercury material containing a constituent recoverable by amalgamation and gangue, the discharge end of the conduit being positioned adjacent and in close proximity to the surface of the mercury, means on the discharge end of the feed conduit for providing a restricted space for the passage of the material over the mercury surface to thereby prolong contact of the material with the mercury and means for removing the gangue.

9. In an amalgamating apparatus, a vessel containing a body of mercury, a partition member extending into said mercury and dividing said vessel into an electrolytic compartment containing an"electrolyte superimposed on the mercury,

andan amalgamating compartment containing mercury, anode and Vcathode electrodes immersed in said electrolyte and spaced from said mercury, aconduit in the amalgamating compartment for feedingto the mercury material containing a constituent recoverable by amalgamation and gangue,-the discharge end ofthe conduitibeing positioned adjacent and in close proximity to the surface of the mercury, a rubber pad on the discharge-end of the feedy conduit for providing a restricted space for the passage of the material over the mercury surface to thereby prolong contact of .the material Withthe mercury, and means for removing the gangue.

10. In an amalgamating apparatus, a vessel containing a body of mercury, a partition member extending into said mercury and dividing said vessel into an electrolytic compartment containing an electrolyte superimposed on the mercury, and an amalgamating compartment containing mercury, anode and cathode electrodes immersed in said electrolyte and spaced from said mercury, a conduit in the amalgamating compartment for feeding to the mercury material containing a constituent recoverable by amalgamation and gangue, the discharge end of the conduit being positioned adjacent and in close proximity to the surface of the mercury, a pad of sponge rubber on the discharge end of the feed conduit for providing a restricted space for the passage of the material over the mercury surface to thereby prolong contact of the material with the mercury, and means for removing the gangue.

ll. Amalgamation apparatus comprising an electrolytic cell provided With an electrolyte having an element adapted to form an amalgam with mercury, and a working chamber in communication with said cell, a body of mercury partially in the cell and partially in the Working chamber, anode and cathode electrodes immersed in said electrolyte and spaced from said mercury, a pad of sponge-rubber retarding the flow of the material being treated and in contact with the mercury, and means for feeding material to the upper surface of the mercury in said chamber.

12. Amalgamation apparatus comprising an electrolytic cell provided With an electrolyte having an element adapted to form an amalgam with mercury and a working chamber in communication with said cell, a body of mercury partially in the cell and partially in the working chamber, anode and cathode electrodes immersed in said electrolyte and spaced from said mercury, a porous pad spaced from the surface of the body in the chamber to provide a restricted passage for. material under treatment, and means for feeding material being treated to the surface of the mercury in the chamber.

13. Amalgamation apparatus comprising an electrolytic cell provided with an electrolyte having an element adapted to form an amalgam With mercury and a Working chamber in communication with said cell, a body of mercury partially in the cell and partially in the Working chamber, anode and cathode electrodes immersed in said electrolyte and spaced from said mercury, a pad of sponge-rubber spaced from the surface of the mercury in the chamber to provide a restricted passage for material under treatment, and means for feeding said material to the surface of the mercury in the chamber.

14. Amalgamation apparatus comprising an 3150 rent through the electrolyte, and grounding part of the current through the amalgamating body to stimulate amalgamation of the material being treated.

16. The process of amalgamatngk comprising passing material containing constituents removable by amalgamation to a body of mercury in contact with an aqueous electrolyte, establishing a current through the electrolyte and grounding part of the current through the body of mercury to stimulate amalgamation of the material being treated.

JESSE C. RAMSEY. COLIN CAMBLIN. 

